Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s time to start planning and preparing for your fall and winter travel.
When traveling as a family, fall and winter are often the best times to take your vacation since your kids will likely already have time off of school. However, since everyone else will likely be traveling during this time, and the weather can be unpredictable, it’s important that you prepare as best you can for circumstances both seen and unforeseen.
To help you with this, here are three tips for preparing for fall and winter travel with your family.
Pick The Right Time To Travel
Picking the right time to travel can have a big impact on the success and safety of your fall and winter trips.
According to Valerie Conners, a contributor to the Travel Channel, some of the best times to travel during fall and winter are in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since people are already taking time off for these holidays, they’re much more likely to plan their trips around these times rather than right in between them. So if you’re hoping to save money on your family trip or avoid peak times at your destination, you might want to consider planning your fall and winter trips around the holidays rather than during the holidays.
Prepare For Car Emergencies
While flying can often be more convenient, especially if your fall and winter travel has you going far away from home, many people find themselves opting for car travel rather than heading to the airport. If this is what your fall and winter travel will look like this year, make sure you’re ready for whatever weather conditions you might run into.
Emily Fazio, a contributor to DIY Network, recommends that make the safety of your car trips your top priority, as the only thing that can make a car or truck accident worse is having it happen during freezing temperatures.
As part of your preparation, Fazio suggests that you pack your car with items that will make it easier for everyone to survive if you get in an accident or stuck on the road. This should include things like warm clothes and blankets, flashlights, extra food, and water.
Expect Travel Delays
Whether you’re choosing to road trip as part of your fall and winter travel plans or you’re opting to go with air travel, it’s wise to start your travel day knowing that you’ll likely face a few delays. While traveling with kids in general means things will take longer than you might anticipate, sharing your travel days with hundreds of other families traveling as well can and will make things go slower.
To combat this, Elizabeth Montgomery, a contributor to Today.com, recommends that you be sure to pack things like games and snacks for your travel day, as having hungry or bored kids can make your stress levels skyrocket.
If you’re wanting to take a family trip this fall or winter, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you plan and prepare for this adventure.
